The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) is implementing several programs that are designed to help its schools ensure they are safe and supportive, thereby improving student outcomes. Below is a description of one such program.

Safe Supportive Schools
With a U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Healthy Students Safe and Supportive Schools grant, WVDE is implementing measurement systems and structures that promote the awareness of school climate and safety, and increase school capacity to plan, implement, and monitor appropriate, evidence-based interventions. Goal one focuses on collecting representative school climate data from which a school safety score information system will be developed. Goal two focuses on developing a strong human resources component designed to provide facilitation of the improvement planning process and to address the identified need for better coordination of resources and evidence based programming.

The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) collects school climate data via two data collections as part of the Healthy Education Assessment Project (HEAP).  Biannually, WVDE surveys high school students for the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) regarding violence, suicide, alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, sexual risks, HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, body image, diet and physical activity. This survey is used to assess and monitor behaviors that place individuals at increased risk for premature morbidity and mortality.  And then annually WVDE compiles data on all reports of disciplinary action.

On a biannual basis, West Virginia collects data on priority health-risk behaviors and the prevalence of obesity and asthma among youth and young adults as part of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS). Below is data for a selection of YRBSS indicators for West Virginia and the United States.